Lead-in table for paperboard slitting and transverse cut-off machinery



Nov. 18, 1969 E. J. WILLARD LEAD-IN TABLE FOR PAPERBOARD SLITTING AND' TRANSVERSE CUT-OFF MACHINERY Filed Sept. 12. 1967 a ME 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fawm J. WI//ard BY my E- J. WILLARD LEAD-IN TABLE FOR PAPERBOARD SLITTING AND Nov. 18, 1969 TRANSVERSE CUT-OFF MACHINERY Filed Sept. 12, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 18, 1969 E J WILLARD 7 LEAD-IN TABLE FOR PAPERBOARD SLITTING AND TRANSVERSE CUT-OFF MACHINERY 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 M d w M/ W aWn 1 WW J my United States Patent 3,478,654 LEAD-IN TABLE FOR PAPERBOARD SLITTING AND TRANSVERSE CUT-OFF MACHINERY Edwin J. Willard, East Longmeadow, Mass., assignor to Longview Fibre Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 12, 1967, Ser. No. 667,141 Int. Cl. B31b 1/18; B21d 7/06; B65h 17/42 U.S. Cl. 93-58.2 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSU E A lead-in web directing table for supporting slit sections of a traveling web of corrugated paperboard from a slitting machine to vertically spaced transverse cut-off stations. Parallel fingers in the path of Web travel are individually pivoted on a frame to form a selected inclined path to the upper transverse cut-off, and the frame is movable to extend closely adjacent the outlet of one of a plurality of slitting devices rotated into operative position, the frame being retractable outside of the path of rotation of said slitting devices. The fingers may be compositely formed of upper and lower nested portions, the upper portions being pivoted on said frame and elevated by lifting the lower portions.

This invention relates to apparatus for the handling of a web of sheet material such. as corrugated paperboard of various grades. In particular it relates to apparatus for guiding and directing the slit sections of such a web between a slitting and scoring machine of conventional type and a plurality of transverse cut-off devices and may be used in the production of blanks which are to be later formed into cartons or used for other purposes.

In conventional machinery of this type the slitting and scoring machine forms a longitudinal slit or slits together with appropriate score lines in a continupusly traveling sheet. It thusproduces two or more continuously moving sections each of which. requires a guided support to the suitable cut-off station where the particular section is transversely cut into desired lengths. Because of floor space and other considerations such cut-off stations are usually vertically offset for convenient collection and further disposition of batches of blanks of the same size.

In separately guiding the slit sections into the respective v cut-off stations various types of supports have been employed. Such supports are normally called web directing or lead-in tables. In one form or another they serve as a guiding surface support for the separate slit sections particularly in order to properly lead these sections into upper cutroff knife stations. v

As will readilybe appreciated in the art, this type of machinery is geared for rapid production and in a days operation normally produces a great many sizes of blanks.

Frequent adjustment of slitting knives for various widths is thus necessary as well as adjustment of cut-off apparatus to produce various lengths as required for different blank dimensions. In a standard type of Widely used slitting machinery three sets of angularly related knife sets are mounted on radially disposed extensions of a rotatable frame at 120 spacings. While one set of knives is operating .on the traveling web the other two idle slitter sets may be adjusted in preparationfor subsequentruns. Accordingly, as one production run of blanks is completed, web travel is stopped and the next set of knives having a' different dimensional setting is then indexed into position while the cut-off mechanism is also being adjusted.

A major difiiculty in a rapid change-over and minimum of down time in conventional machinery of this type has been the lack of a suitable lead-in table that can be 3,478,654 Patented Nov. 18, 1969 rapidly and satisfactorily changed to accommodate various widths of a slit web for proper support and lead-in guldance to the cut-off stations. Insofar as I am aware, the most successful device provided to date comprises a longitudinally sectionalized table positioned between the slitter and cut-off mechanisms. The sectional arrangement includes a series of individually operable slats or fingers, any number of which may be selected as a group for the nclined sloping support of any size width so as to lead It into an upper cut-01f mechanism. At the same time the other or remaining group of fingers are horizontally disposed in order to support another slit section to a lower cut-off station on the same level as the web in the slitter. Each finger is individually pivoted on an axis located in spaced relation to the slitter mechanism. It will be seen that the degree to which the pivotal axis at the upstream or inlet end of the fingers may be placed near the knives 1s limited inasmuch as the various sets of knives are rotated on the slitter unit frame during a change over. The fingers must necessarily be disposed outside the path of rotation.

Under these circumstances where the entrance end of a lead-in structure is outside the path of rotation of the sets of slitting knives there are several disadvantages. First, the leading edges of the slit sections of the web require manual guidance onto the table structure at the start of a run. The start-up time is thus delayed and requires excessive attention. Next, during a high speed run the support of a web section as it first contacts a group of raised finger supports can result in an objectionable bridging area Where the running we'b section is unsupported. With a fast moving Web, particularly when light corru gated stock is run through the machine, a bouncing or throbbing action can occur. The constant flexing of the sheet may necessitate a slower speed of travel or such flexing may otherwise result in a slightly uneven cut-off and thus introduce non-uniform blanks. I

It is an object of this invention to provide improvements in this type of lead-in table and to overcome the difficulties mentioned particularly Where the table is equipped with a plurality of individually elevatable fingers.

The above and other specific objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention as exemplified in the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation in somewhat schematic form of a slitting and scoring machine and the cut-off stations FIG. 3 is a view as on line 3-3 of FIG- 2 and on 5d enlarged scale showing a supporting structure for the table surface;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on line '55 of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1 a slitting and scoring machine is diagrammatically shown being generally designated by the numeral 10. Three sets of slitting and scoring blade elements are indicated at 12, 14 and 16, respectively, a frame 18 being pivoted on a shaft 20 and carrying the slitter sets on radially extending frame extensions at spaced intervals of A web w of full width is shown traveling from left to right through the slitters at 16 located in the upper operative 12 oclock position. From the blades of this set one slit section indicated in part at w is directed to a cut-off device indicated at 22 on the same level as web w. A second web section w (also indicated in part) is shown being conveyed to an upper cut-off station at 24.

Conventionally, as shown, the slitting and scoring machine is furthermore, mounted at floor level 1 over a pit p. Pit p affords access by workmen to the slitter sets as at 12 and 14 which are idle during a production run of web w through the operating set 16 at the top. As Will be understood, the slitting and scoring blades of sets 12 and 14 can be adjusted for subsequent runs when idle. Necessary adjustments may also be made at this time for operation of the lead-in table mechanism for the succeeding run through set 14 as will be described.

The lead-in table, between the slitting machine 10 and cut-offs 22 and 24, may be supported as on rear legs and front legs 32, these legs being in the form of I-beams and joined by side braces 34. Cross supports as inverted channel irons 36 and 38 connect the rear and front legs, respectively, across the upper portions thereof. Rear legs 30 are taller than legs 32 and carry the supporting structure on which the slats or finger assemblies 48 of the table are pivotally mounted. The front cross support 38 carries cylinders 42 by which the individual slats or fingers are raised.

The fingers are preferably inverted U-shaped members. Each, as here shown, is of composite formation. A lower member 44 is pivotally mounted at its upstream end on a fixed cross shaft as at 46 carried upwardly of rear legs 30. An upper member 48 is telescopically fitted over mem ber 44 and mounted at its upstream end on a shaft at 50 of a movable frame. The latter may be shifted to and from a position adjacent the upper operating slitters and a retracted position outside the arc of rotation of frame 18 of the slitter machine. This are of rotation is indicated by line a in FIG. 1 and the movable frame has an angled hood 52 at its extreme end here shown in full line in the extended position of the frame. As indicated by the dotted line position of the hood the end of the frame when retracted lies outside are a.

The operative or extended position of the web directing table as in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown with the slit section w of the web being horizontally supported on the composite fingers from a point immediately adjacent the outlet of the slitters 16 to a point immediately adjacent the cut-off elements at 22. The member 48 is telescopically nested on top of member 44. The web section w" which is directed to the upper cut-ofi elements 24 is likewise supported for the full travel of its upwardly angled path by reason of the upper slat members 48 being pivoted adjacent the hood 52 and extending to the outer end portion of the lower slat members 44. Thi piggy-back" relation of the upper slat 48 on lower slat 44 which results in the gradually inclined path for web section w is clearly seen by FIG. 1, cylinder 42 having pivotally raised the lower slat 44 on shaft 46. It will be seen by FIG. 2 that four slats at the upper end in this view have been raised and thus provide support across the width of the web section w". Accordingly, web support and guidance is provided to the fullest extent for each slit section from slitters 16 to the cut-off devices whether horizontally or upwardly directed. It will, of course, be appreciated that for a slitter machine cutting three longitudinal web sections the table may be adapted to provided a cylinder and plunger operation having an intermediate position as well as an upupper limit so that the three sections can be led into the appropriate cut-off sections.

Also shown by FIG. 1 is the pivotal mounting of the base of cylinder 42 on bracket 54 of cross support 38 and the pivotal mounting of plunger head 56 on pin 58 fixed between the sidewalls at the underside of a slot 44. The cylinders may be of any conventional type as, for example, standard double acting air cylinders operated by solenoid air valves as schematically indicated at 43 to extend and retract the plungers. The solenoid may be energized by suitable electric control means. Preferably, as here shown, a series of microswitches as at 60 may be placed in the circuit of the valves for cylinders 42. The switches are mounted across the top of the slitter machine, each being in a relative position corresponding to the finger which it controls for automatic operation of each cylinder. The individual switches 60 are engageable by a trigger element of a series of elements 62 carried in corresponding positional relationships on the slitter frame 18 at each of the radially extending sections for slitter sets 12, 14, and 16. Accordingly, when the slitting knives are adjusted on the shafts of a set, as for the set 14, for example in FIG. 1, the appropriate triggers 62 can be adjusted by pulling outwardly (to the dotted line position). When thus set an element 62 will strike the arm of the correspondingly related switches 60 when the set 14 is rotated on frame 18 and indexed into its upper operative position. The cylinders will, accordingly, be actuated for those fingers 40 which will form the inclined ramp to support the section of the web of be directed to the uppercut-off 24. Trigger 62 is shown in the form of an easily grasped plate and may be yieldably held in active or inactive condition by suitable detent action of its mounting post.

Referring now to the mounting of the fingers 40 and the movable frame for upper slats or finger portions 48, the rear legs 30 are provided with a carriage fixture 70 at each side of the table. Details of the fixture are clearly shown by FIGS. 3 and 4. As best seen by FIG. 2 each is preferably located between the outer two fingers at each side of the table.

As in FIG. 3 a side plate beam member 72 of the fixture 70 is mounted on leg 30 by cap screw assemblies at 74. The beam extends fore and aft of the leg. On each extension is carried a pair of spaced side plates 76 extending upwardly thereof and cap screwed at 78 to opposite faces of beam (see FIG. 4). The spaced plates 76 carrying bearing supports, as will be described, for the side members of the movable frame on which upper slats 48 are pivoted. The downstream inner plate 76 of the spacer plates at each side also carries a bearing 80 for a cross shaft 82 extending across the table under the fingers. A pinion gear 84 at each end of the shaft is positioned between the plates and meshes with a rack at the under edge of the side members of the movable frame to be later described.

Bearings 80 for shaft 82 are mounted by cap screws 86 extending through the plates 76 (FIG. 3). Cap screws 88 are similarly located for the upstream side plate assembly. The ends of a bar 90 which supports the cross shaft 46 (on which lower slats 44 are hinged) are sandwiched between each set of plates 76. The bar is held by the cap screws 86 and 88 adjacent leg 30 and acts as an additional spacer support for the plates as well as serving to support shaft 46.

The movable frame is a U-shaped member and the arms or side members are formed as rack bars at 92. As best shown by FIG. 2 members 92 are suitably fixed, as by welding, at their upstream ends to an angle iron cross member 94 on which is mounted the angled hood 52 previously mentioned. Side members or arms 92 adjacent cross member 94 support the cross shaft 50 on which the upper slats 48 are hinged.

Thus the U-shaped movable frame comprising side and cross members 92, 94, and cross shaft 50 is supported for slidable movement in fixtures 70. It is actuated by a double acting air cylinder 98 mounted under the central slat 48 carried on shaft 50. A U-shaped bracket 100 (see also FIG. 5) is fitted with its legs welded to cross member 94 and straddles the pivotal connection of slat 48 on shaft 50. On the cross piece of the bracket is fixed the head of plunger 102 of cylinder 98. The cross piece is vertically slotted to receive the side portions of the channeled slat 48. At its opposite end cylinder 98 is mounted on the cross support 36 between legs 30. An angle iron clip 99 (see FIG. 2) is fixed to the support and its upstanding leg at 99 is anchored at the back end of the cylinder casing for fixed support of this end of the cylinder and extending and retracting the movable frame.

Support for the side frame members 92 is shown in detail by FIGS. 3 and 4. Longitudinal grooves or slots 110 are cut in opposite sides of each member 92. Riding in the slots are the outer races of opposed pairs of spaced ball bearings 112 fitted on the inner face of the two sets of plates 76. The bearings float on pins fixed as by welding in the plate walls and snap rings at 114 (FIG. 4) retain alignment of the bearings. At the under side of each member 92, teeth 116 of a rack are provided for meshing with the pinion gears 84. Even travel of frame arm member 92 at each side of the table is thus assured by the rack and pinion connections joined by shaft 82.

The hinged mounting of lower slats 44 of the fingers are provided by collars 120 (FIG. 1) rotatably carried on shaft 46. A right angled clip 121 is welded at the side of the collar 120 and to the underside of the slat adjacent the end thereof. Slats 48, see FIGS. 2 and 5 are also provided with similar collars 122 on shaft 50. The top of .these collars is welded directly to the underside of slats 48 at the ends thereof for the pivotal action. On

either side of collars 120 and 122 to which the finger slats are fixed and which are rotatable on shafts 46 and 50, respectively, are collars 120' and 122 set-screwed on the shafts 46 and 50. These latter collars being fixed to the shaft prevent lateral shifting of the fingers.

In FIG. 5 the edge of angled hood 52 overlies the upper edge of the slat 48 and so provides a smooth path for passage of a Web section On to the fingers. The hood also encloses a fluorescent lamp tube at 124 which will assist the workmen by lighting up the area around the idle slitter sets as the set 14 in FIG. 1 and so provide for the easier adjustment thereof in preparation for the succeeding run of the web.

As used in the appended claims, the longitudinally extending table sections may be referred to as web supporting means; fingers 44 may be referred to as a first set of fingers or a first Web support means; fingers 48 may be referred to as a second set of fingers, companion fingers or a second web support means; the cylinders 42 may be referred to as a power means; the switch 60 may be referred to as a switch means; and the triggers 62 may be referred to as adjustably positionable actuators.

What is claimed is:

1. In web slitting and cut-off machinery to form blanks from a continuously moving paperboard web and of the type including a slitter unit having a frame pivoted on its axis and provided with a plurality of radially disposed slitting devices for rotating the frame and successively bringing the devices into an upper operative position lying in the path of the moving web;

a plurality of vertically separated cut-off devices longitudinally spaced from said slitting unit for transversely cutting off separate longitudinally slit sections of said web; and

a lead-in table between said slitter unit and cut-off devices having longitudinally extending and transversely separated sections forming a web support means, each section being individually pivotable for raising the downstream ends of a selected group of said sections to an upper cut-off device;

the improvement in said lead-in table which comprises:

a support for the table and a frame movable relative to the support longitudinally of the path of a moving web,

said sections of the web support means being pivoted at their upstream ends on said movable frame,

said frame having an inoperative position and an operative position, and in the latter position having the pivoted ends of said sections supported in the path of said web in closely spaced relation to the outlet of an operatively positioned slitting devices of said slitter unit.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which:

said movable frame is provided, adjacent the upstream a frame reciprocably supported for generally horizontal movement,

a first set of fingers lying generally parallel to one another and having one end pivoted to said support,

a second set of fingers having one end pivoted to said frame,

the fingers of said second set each overlying and being at least in part supported by a finger of the first set, and

means coupled to the first set of fingers for pivoting them upwardly.

4. A table in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

each finger of the second set is slidably supported on the upper surface of a finger of the first set, the fingers of the second set being longer than the fingers of the first set.

5. Apparatus comprising:

a web slitting unit having at least two radial extensions mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis,

slitters adjustably supported on each extension, one

extension being in an upright position and thereby being the only extension in an operative position,

a lead-in table adjacent said unit, said table having a stationary support and a reciprocable frame,

said frame having an operative position adjacentsaid one extension and an inoperative position outside the' rotative path of said extensions,

a first web support means pivoted at one end to said stationary support,

a second web support means pivoted at one end to said frame,

the other end of said second web support means being supported by said first web support means,

power means coupled to the first web support means for pivoting at least a portion thereof relative to said stationary support,

switch means coupled to said power means for actuating the same,

said switch means being supported adjacent said rotative path of the extensions,

and adjustably positionable actuators on said extensions for cooperation with said switch means.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein:

said first and second web support means are fingers,

each finger of the second support means being supported by and being slidable with respect to a finger of the first support means.

7. In web-directing lead-in tableapparatus adapted for positioning between a slitter unit for longitudinally severing a web and vertically spaced transverse cut-01f devices, said table apparatus having a platform surface comprising a plurality of fingers arranged in side by side relation in and parallel to the path of web travel and each such finger being pivoted at its upstream end and provided with means for elevating the downstream end thereof so as to raise certain fingers as a group and form an inclined platform for directing a longitudinally slit web section from a slitter unit to an upper cut-01f device;

the improvement which comprises a plurality of companion fingers overlying each of said first fingers and longitudinally slidable relative thereto,

a frame on which said companion fingers are freely pivoted at their upstream ends,

supporting means for mounting and guiding said frame, said frame being movable relative to said platform surface of the first fingers and carrying the pivotal axis of said companion fingers between an extended and retracted position in upstream relation to the pivotal axis of said first fingers,

the extended frame-condition and elevation of a selected group of adjacent first fingers causing pivotal movement of the companion fingers thereof at a lesser angle, the said lesser angled surface of the selected finger structures provid ing a gradually inclined and substantially continuous support for a slit web section from a position adjacent to a slitter device to an upper cut-off device.

8. The structure of claim 7 in which:

the frame carrying said companion fingers is a U-shaped member,

the supporting means for mounting and guiding said frame includes a pair of side members having elongated tracking means engaging the arms of said frame, and

means are provided for extending and retracting said arms in said tracking means.

9. The structure of claim 8 in Which:

the infeed end of said movable frame carrying the companion fingers is provided with an angle hood and a lamp is positioned under said hood.

10. The structure of claim 8 in combination with a slitter unit having a frame pivoted on its axis and provided with a plurality of radial extensions having slitting devices adjacent the ends thereof, said slitter frame being rotatable for successively bringing the said slitting devices into an upper operative position,

said U-shaped frame in extended position lying in the path of travel of said Web and closely adjacent the outlet of a slitting device disposed in its upper oper ative position, said U-shaped frame in retracted position supporting said companion fingers outside said rotative path of the radial extensions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,950,658

WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

